Universal joint



y 1, 1953 BOLTUCH 2,646,242

UNIVERSAL JOINT Filed Jan. 18, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JW PM Y ATTORNEY INVENTOR v on the axis of the arm l3.

Patented July 21, 1953 UNIVERSAL JOINT Leon Boltuchpwalli ngfo rd, Conn. ApplicationJanuary 18, 1952, Serial No. 261,063,

2 12 2 The present invention relates to improved universal joints for use in connection with adjust- 6'Glaims'. (Cl. 248292) position or the load uni't IZ be adjusted in 2 any desired manner.

able lamps or other relatively light loads, the a particular 'aim'being toprovide a joint of simple and rugged construction and which willmaintain' the lamp or otherload unit in its adjusted position. 2 p j i 1 Other objects and advantages or the present invention will appear in the accompanying drawings and thefollowing specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates generally a type of lampembodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the universal joint;

Fig. 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; I Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken on line 4- 2 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is taken on line 5-5 of'FigJZ; Fig.6 is taken on line (#45 of Fig. 2;

2 the ring 53 about its own axis.

Fig. 7 is a face view of one of the mating halves of the casing;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the brake shoe;

and

Fig. 9 is a plan View of the brake shoe.

The universal joint of the present invention is particularly applicable and'adaptable for use in the adjustable bracket "shown and described in application Ser. No. 267,062, filed on even date January 18', 1952, and the "said application is I embodied herein by reference.

As shown in Fig. l', the lamp' embodying the adjustable bracket comprisesa load unit l2 which is shown in the present case as a reflector carrying a pair of tubular discharge lamps, 'a'pair'of jointed bracket arms 13 and M, a base Stand a standard 2%. As fully described in the above mentioned application; :each or the braclretxarms include a housing 3 l in which a friction sleeve,

a helical spring, and a link combine to provide a counterbalance for the load unit to maintain the same in any desired adjusted position. 'f

The present invention is directed to thejoint 5B which attaches the loadunit |Z2to thebracket The joint comprises a longitudinally split housing which consists of the twoelement'sbl and 52 andis constructed to receive at one end the arm 13 and at its other end the ring or annulus 53. The halves 5! and 52 of the housing are preferably identical and maybe provided, if desired, With suitable aligning pins. :The upper end of each of the halves 5|, 52 is cut away'an'd shoulder'ed so as to provide two'spaced and essentially parallel dished or recessed plates'li l, 55. On their inner faces these plates have interrupted annular flanges 5E, 57. When the two parts 5| and 52 are assembled, the ring 53 is clasped between them and embraces and rides on the flanges 56 and 5? thereby providing for the rotatio'n o'f The ring 53'is' preferably provided with a neck 58 which'receives nipple '59 for attachment to the lamp fiirture 12,

thus forming a load carrier.

. At its opposite end the housing being tubular in form receives the free end of the tube l3 and the housing rotates on the tube IS. The housing is for this purpose provided with an annular channel or groove 30 which receives a protuberancelil on the tube is, the tube l3 thereby being captured within the housing 55 and at the same time permitting rotation of the housing on the axis of the tube.- The annular groove 59 is=pref5 i erably provided with a stop 62 thereby limiting the rotation of the'housing aboutthe tube I3 to less than 360. The housingis provided witha chamber 63 which h as'adianfleter greater-than the-outer diameter of tube 13; The open end of the tube 83 receives a collar 55 which is provided with an outwardly directed annular" flange 68 which rests on the shouldered at the lower end of the enlarged "chamber 63.; A helical compressed spring i5? rests upon the fiange fiiiand is in contact atits other end with the lower face of the brakeshoe '58 which at its upper end is provided withanarcuate surface 69 which presses against the outer 'face of the ring 53. Thus the brake shoe 682 pressed by the compressed spring "61 serves to retain the ring 53 together with the I fixture or other load unit .carriedfthe'reby in the desired adjustedposition; 2

The brakeshoe element '68 is designed and constructed to provide for the passage of electric cord. For this purpose it consists of a single casting which has at its lower end an annulus 10 provides a second axis of rotation which is at right angles to the axis of the arm I3. Thusthe and at its upper end a solid head 'H that includes the arcuate braking surface 69, the two parts being connected by a pair of parallel standards 'l2,'each preferably provided with a rib 13 which loads in the corresponding groove 74 in the inner face of the housing 5| as shown. The annulus I is also preferably provided with a shoulder portion 15 which enters the spring 61 and cooperates with the end of the collar 65 which enters the opposite end of the spring 67.. It will now be seen that when these parts are assembled the spring 61 is under compression and presses the braking surface 69 against thering 53. The two halves of the housing 51 may be held in their assembled position in any desirable manner and as shown herein the interiorly threaded ring I6 cooperates with the threads on the housing l below the brake shoe H, thus providing for the cord to enter the brake element through the lower annulus l0 and out from the brake shoe, as shown, in either direction. The cord then enters the ring 53 and out through the nipples 58, 59 toward the fixture.

The main body portion of the collar 65 enters the tube I3 as shown and is'rendered substantially integral therewith by a drive fit. The spring 61 presses the flange 66 of the collar against the shoulder 64 to exert a frictional braking resisting rotary movement of the housing 5| on the tube E3.

'The present organization therefore provides the two degrees of movement of the load unit with reference to the arm l3, one onthe axis of the arm 13 and the other on an axis perpendicular to arm l3 and the single spring 67 serves to exert a braking force against both movements. By this simple rugged construction the load unit may be adjusted manually to any desired position and the spring acts through the braking elements 66 and 68 to retain the load unit in the adjusted position.

The braking element 66 is affixed to the tube 13 by the'collar 65. It will be understood however that, if desired, the braking element 66 may be formed by a spinning operation from the material of the tube I3.

I claim:

1. A support providing variable adjustment of a load unit thereon, comprising a load carrier including an annulus, an elongated longitudinally split housing comprising a pair of mating elements having a tubular section at one end and cut-away portions having means rotatably holding said annulus between said elements at the other end, at least one of said elements being recessed adjacent said annulus to provide a passage between said tubular section and the in-- terior of said annulus, a brake shoe disposed in said housing having an arcuate surface bearing against said annulus and providing constant braking surface contact during movement of said annulus, and a sprin disposed in said tubular section and bearing against said brake shoe to press the same against the annulus, thereby providing for movement of the load unit about the axis of the annulus and holding the same in its adjusted position.

2. A support providing variable adjustment of a load unit thereon, comprising a load carrier including an annulus, a split housing comprising a pair of mating elements having a tubular section at one end and cut-away portions having means rotatably holding said annulus between said elements at the other end, a brake shoe disposed in said housin having an arcuate surface bearing against said annulus and providing constant braking surface contact during movement of said annulus,'and a spring disposed insaid tubular section and bearing against" said brake shoe to press the same against the annulus, thereby providing for movement of the load unit about the axis of the annulus and holding the same in its adjusted position.

3. A joint for a jointed electric fixture comprising an annulus having a radial passage, a split housing comprising a pair of mating elements having a tubular section at one end and cut-away portions at the other end, said cutaway portions having means rotatably holding said annulus between said elements, at least one of said elements being formed with a recess adjacent said annulus, means for retaining said elements in mated assembly, a brakeshoe disposed in said housing having an arcuate surface bearing against said annulus and providing constant braking surface contact during movement of said annulus, the brake shoe having a passage connectin the tubular section and said recess, and a spring disposed in said tubular section and bearing against said brake shoe to press the same against the annulus; thereby providing for movement of the annulus about its axis and holding the same in its adjusted position and enabling f the passage of a conductor through the joint from said tubular section to the radial passage in said annulus.

4. The support of claim 1 in which the brake shoe is provided with apassage connecting the tubular section of the support and the recessed portion of the housing elements.

5. The support of claim 4 in which the brake shoe and housing have interengaging means which provide for relative longitudinal movement therebetween but prevent relative rotaticnal movement therebetween.

6. The support of claim 2 which includes a tubular arm received in the tubular section of the housing, the housing being rotatable about said arm, the tubular section having an inner annular shoulder and the tubular arm having an annular flange engaging said shoulder, the spring pressing the flange against the shoulder and thereby braking the relative. rotational movement of the housing and tubular arm.

LEON BOL'I'UCI-I.

References Cited in the file of this patent Krauthamer Mar. 24, 1953 

